Where Are You Now
by jessicamoor
Summary: Jessica Moore wakes up alone on a bench - six years after the last day she can remember. She remembers nothing about her death or her stint in heaven, and now she's out to find Sam and hopefully the truth. {Set mid season 6, raised! fic}
1. Chapter 1

Jess awoke to the headache inducing sound of a blaring truck horn belonging to an 10 wheeler. She shot up to a sitting position, her hands flying to her ears, her eyes squinted from the sunlight. _Sunlight. Why the hell was it so bright in here?_ She always slept with her blinds closed. And Sam wouldn't have- all of her thoughts were cut short the moment she opened her eyes. She wasn't looking at Sam, or a window, or the wall across from their bed; Jess was staring straight at the street. _What the hell…_ She rubbed her eyes, wondering if this was one of those weird dream states. Nope. Still there. _Okay_. Looking down her lap, she came to realization that where she had woken up wasn't a bed at all. In fact, it was a bench. Great. Jess massaged her temples, attempting to get her bearings about her. What happened last night? Whatever it was, it must have been pretty wild, since try as she might she couldn't remember a single detail. In fact, the last thing she could remember was…Sam leaving with his brother. That must have been yesterday, right? She could remember being happy about Dean showing up, it wasn't as if she didn't know how much Sam cared about his big brother. But then…she had been miffed too…about….Sam. Sam wouldn't tell her where they were going. She figured she must have gone out after that. And then…somehow she ended up here. It was the only logical explanation. She made a mental note to tear Brady a new one later. He was always at the parties, he should have brought her home.

She sighed heavily, cracking her neck both ways before standing up from the bench to begin her walk of shame; only she had no idea what she had done. She slid her hand into the back pocket of her pants, a wave of relief washing over her as she felt her wallet, still intact, and an even bigger one as she opened it and found all of her credit cards and IDs still inside. Spying a pay phone, Jess decided to call Sam. If he was home yet, he was probably pretty worried about her, and if he wasn't, it was her turn to worry about him. She crossed the patch of grass separating her from her destination, gingerly picking up the phone and cradling it between her chin and her shoulder. She punched in Sam's number with her free hand, waiting for the phone to to ring. Only, it never did.  
"We're sorry; you have reached a number that has been disconnected or is no longer in service. If you feel you have reached this recording in error, please check the number and try your call again." Obviously confused, Jess tried the number again, and then once more for good measure. Nothing. She even tried Brady's but got the same response. She hung the phone up with frustration, assuming it must be out of order. "Piece of shit." She muttered, shaking her head. Either way, she needed to reach Sam, so deciding to carry out the next best option she started out for the gas station down the street. Surely they would let her use the phone there.

The bell chimed happily as she pushed open the door, and the cashier looked up in response.  
"Welcome to Mobil, can I help you with anything today?" Even with his obvious Texan accent, his voice sounded almost mechanical. "Hi." Jess smiled, out of politeness. "Yeah, actually, I was just wondering if I could use your phone?"  
"Have to buy something to use the phone." He responded, not even bothering to look up from his magazine. Jess frowned, placing her hand on the counter. "I just need a minute, ok? The pay phone is busted, and I have people to talk to." The cashier sighed over dramatically, looking up at Jess with an expression to match.  
"You pretty girls think you can get away with anything. Buy something, or no phone. Not even my rules sugar, I just enforce em. Of course, if you're out of cash, you could always do something else for a call." He grinned at her crudely. "My boyfriend would crush you." She shot back, walking to the back of the store to grab a coffee. By the time she got back to the counter, she already had her Debit card out and she handed it to the impatiently. Taking the card, he swiped it through, before handing it back to her with an exhausted expression.  
"Kid, this card expired in 2006." Jess stared back at him blankly, a slight cloud of confusion seeping its way over her delicate expression. "So? It should be good for at least two more months. Can you check again?" Now it was the cashiers turn to look confused.  
"Whaddaya talkin' about? It's 2011. Looked at a calendar lately?" Jess rolled her eyes, visibly annoyed now. The guy had to be screwing with her. "Look, if you don't accept debit, why don't you just tell me that in the first place, ok?" She snapped. "I don't know what your game is here, but I-" She stopped, no longer looking at the man behind the counter, but the wall behind him; Her eyes locking onto the rack of magazines. The the covers screamed headlines ranging from pregnant celebrities to dirty politicians, but that wasn't what she was staring at. What caught her eye was the date.  
_June 15, 2011._

Jess opened her mouth, her lips dropping into a perfectly formed 'o', but couldn't find the words to respond. "2011?" She repeated hoarsely, grabbing firmly onto the counter.  
"You alright, blondie? You concussed or somethin'?" He leaned in closer with his arms on the counter, looking carefully around the store before continuing in a hushed voice. "Was you abducted by aliens? They say not to believe them magazine articles, but I know what's real when I see it. Did they…did they do experiments on you?"  
Jess scowled. Whatever was going on, she was 90% sure it wasn't aliens. Well, 80%. She snatched her card back, gathering her wits and turning around and walking out of the store. Making a beeline for the pay phone, she dialed the only other number she knew by memory; the pizza place.  
"Hello?" Her heart sank as the cheery voice answered, and she hung up the phone almost instantly. The pay phone wasn't broken. So Sam, and Brady, they were just…gone? No, that was impossible. All of this was impossible. What was this supposed to mean, that she had been crashing on a bench for six years? Six years. She almost felt like faint. This had to be some sort of joke, some elaborate, completely unfunny joke. Or even just a dream. If it was, she hoped to god she was going to wake up soon. It was quickly turning into a nightmare. What was she going to do?She had no idea where Sam and Brady were, and she couldn't think of anyone else here that she could run to. Unless… the apartment. Maybe there was someone there. Maybe… She barely took the time to think before she was off down the sidewalk. At least she still remembered how to get there.

The taxi ride felt as though it went on forever, and when she finally reached the familiar steps she was anxious as anything. Taking a huge breath, she climbed the stairs one by one, the blood rushing in her ears. She didn't know what to expect. All she wanted was for this to end. She knocked three times, the sound ominous in her ears. She hardly had to wait ten seconds before the door knob clicked and the door started to pull open. _Sam, Sam, Sam, Sam_ she repeated like a prayer mantra in her head. But then…Jess was disappointed again. She supposed she must have looked like a crestfallen mess, because the Middle aged woman at the door looked more concerned than annoyed at her presence. She tried to say something to wave her off, but all that came out was a chocked up "sorry" before tears began to spill out of her eyes.

Thoroughly embarrassed, frustrated, and confused, Jess couldn't stop the tears as she turned away and started back the way she came. She couldn't believe it. Sam wouldn't just ditch her, there was no way. And someone else living in their place? If only one day had passed, that just wouldn't make sense - not like six years passing by made sense either. Obviously the years hasn't slipped away from everybody, life still seemed to have gone on, and the thought of that put a rock in Jess's stomach. What about her family, her friends, the school, _Sam_? What did they think happened to her? What had happened to her? What happened to them? Her head was beginning to throb, her throat raw as if she had been swallowing sand paper. She didn't understand. Nothing made any sense. Her desperation bubbled into anger before dropping back to the pit of her stomach again. She just wanted Sam. Sam would fix this. He would hug her, kiss her, tell her everything was going to be okay. Jess prided herself on being a leader, someone who was able to look after herself and be resourceful at that. But this time she needed more than her own strength, which at the moment was beginning to evade her. Yet, there was no one there to help. She was alone. Completely alone.

By the time Jess returned to where her journey had first began, she was walking as though she had 50 pound weights resting on each shoulder. She was beaten down, lost, and she had nowhere to turn. She knew she had to do something, find someone, but she had no idea what, let alone where to start. Wiping the tears from both of her damp cheeks, Jess took a deep breath. There had to be answers somewhere. Sam had to be somewhere. Forget the time lapse, people don't just fall of the face of the earth. Pulling her jacket securely around her, she started off down the street. She was going to get the truth.


	2. Chapter 2

**Ill be doing my best to post new chapters twice a week, but here's chapter two just to give you an idea of where the story is going. Enjoy :)**

* * *

Jess couldn't sleep. It wasn't because of the jolting of the Greyhound bus as it turned repeated corners, or the supposedly sleeping man next to her who's head kept falling just enough to the right that it ended up repeatedly resting on her shoulder until she shifted it away. No, she hadn't been able to sleep a wink in at least 20 hours, not since she had woken up on the bench that very morning.

* * *

After visiting the home that no longer belonged to her and turning away in despair, Jess had decided to make her way to he only place she could count on still being constant after all these years: Stanford University. She had no doubt that her student ID would have long since expired, but at least the library would be no problem to get to. She needed somewhere to go, somewhere that she could sit and think.

As she approached the library, she had felt a wave of comfort wash over her. At least one thing was as she remembered it. The grassy patch was scattered with students, some studying on blankets, some playing haphazard games of frisbee, all of them looking content to be out in the sun. It felt like just yesterday that had been her. She sighed heavily, her head beginning to pound once again. Technically it had been yesterday.

Making a beeline for the nearest tree, Jess plopped down under it with a heaving sigh. What the hell was she going to do? She was homeless, lost, broke, going out of her mind - if she didn't have so much pointing to the fact that this was real she would have been convinced that this was nothing but a horrible nightmare.

How could this even be possible? Jess had had plans, by now she figured she and Sam would be married, maybe even with kids. He would be practicing law, she would be working in biology. They would be happy. She had known since the moment she met him that they had something special. She had always rolled her eyes at stories of soul mates and 'we just knew', but after netting Sam she understood. They complimented each other. She had been prepared to spend the rest of het life with them, and now, she didn't even now where he was.

She thought of trying his phone again, but she knew it would be no use. He wouldn't pick up. He wasn't home, it was like he wasn't anywhere. Like he never even has a life here at all. How was she even going to begin to look for him?

Jess took a deep breath, trying at least to collect herself before she had a full blown panic attack. Like it or not, whatever was happening she was in it alone right now and she couldn't afford to let herself break down, even if that was all she felt like doing.

If Sam was going to be anywhere else, where would he be? This is where some information about his past would really come in handy. She knew that Sam had moved around a lot as a kid, he'd most likely been to every state on the map. There was only ever one specific place that he'd mentioned though. One other place he had called home. Lawrence, Kansas.

Jess leaned back, exhausted against the old oak that was granting her shade. Was that crazy? Just leaving and hauling ass to Lawrence without even knowing if there was anything there for her at all? Then again there was obviously nothing for her here anymore, and it was starting to seem like she didn't have many other options. She couldn't call home, not until she had answers, and besides Brady there wasn't another friend that she felt like she could go to.

That was it then. It looked like she was going to have to go to Kansas.

* * *

One last minute bus ticket later, here she was. The six hour ride was seeming like ages longer, she still had halfway to go. Part of her couldn't wait to get there, and the other part never wanted to arrive, afraid of what she would find. Either way, there was no turning back now.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 is up earlier than I expected! Enjoy : ) **

""Ma'm? Excuse me, ma'm? This is the last stop." The voice startled Jess, bringing her mind back from the depths of her subconscious. She had given up on trying to sleep maybe an hour back, and the rest of the ride had been spent staring out the window at the blurred scenery and getting lost in thought. So lost in fact, that she was oblivious when the bus began to empty and almost missed out the driver trying to get her attention. "Ma'm?" She sat completely upright, giving the man her attention with a weary smile. "Sorry?" "This is the last stop. Everyone has to get off here." Right. She had to get off this bus. She had to go out there, and she had to find the truth. She had to find Sam. She couldn't go back.

* * *

The moment she stepped from the final stair and onto the pavement, Jess felt the urge to pull her worn jacket tighter. It wasn't because she was cold, more so because she needed comfort and the jacket was the only thing in her possession that could provide it. The old Carhartt had belonged to Sam, technically it still did, but Jess had just taken it as her own often enough that it had begun to smell of her almost as much as it did of him. She was just grateful to have woken up wearing it. It was better to have than nothing at all.

The town was desolate, let aside a few staggering drunks beginning to wander home. Guaranteed it was nearing one am, but the logic of it didn't leave her feeling any less lost. She didn't know what she had been expecting; some good samaritan who doubled as a messiah and would lead her exactly to where she wanted to go?  
Stuffing both hands deep in her pockets, Jess sighed defeatedly. There was nothing she could do tonight. It was probably best to just quit thinking know before she went completely off the rails. First thing was first: she needed a place to stay for the night.

Jess crossed the street, scanning the surrounding buildings for anything resembling a motel. She only hoped she had enough cash to last her. Any cards in her possession were obviously expired, and she figured it might be sort of suspicious to try and renew them under the name of a missing girl.

By the time she found a motel six, sandwiched between a bar and a dry cleaners, she had been wandering for almost ten minutes. The town was bigger than she expected, but not as big as back in California. It was quaint. A cute place to grow up. She smiled faintly, but just as quickly the smile was replaced with a sudden expression of doubt. Sam had never really gotten to grow up here. Was she stupid to come here? What were the chances that she would find out anything? God, she had made a huge mistake, hadn't she. A frustrated sigh passes her lips as she stood alone on the sidewalk. What else could she have done? There was nowhere else to go. She was just doing the best she could. She had to keep reminding herself that. She couldn't give up.

The bell on the door jingled as she entered, catching the attention of the half asleep receptionist at the desk. The perks of working at a 24 hour establishment. Jess felt sort of bad for her. The woman looked old enough to have a family. Maybe she was just waiting till her shift was over so she could go home to them. She was seeing parallels to her own situation everywhere. She smiled tentatively, feeling exhaustion continue to pull at her own eyelids as well. "Do you have any open rooms?"  
"We sure do. Can I see an ID?" Jess nodded, pulling her wallet from her back pocket. That she had. The woman pressed a few keys on her computer before handing Jess back her ID along with a key. Room 106. Second floor, take a left and your door will be on the right."  
"Thank you."  
"No problem, sweetie. Have a nice stay, and thank you for choosing Motel Six."

* * *

If the flickering hallway lights were an indication of the state of the hotel's maintenance, it certainly didn't show in her room. Everything looked clean and neat to Jess, a pleasant surprise. She shut the door quietly behind her, walking slowly into the room. This was the first moment she was truly aware that she really had nothing to her name, just her wallet and the clothing on her back. It was an empty feeling to behold. No family, no friends, next to no possessions… This was the most consuming feeling of loneliness she had ever felt in her life. She supposed it made sense; you never really know loneliness until you've felt the opposite.

She sunk down onto her mattress, her head hitting the pillow like a rock. The only clothing she had bothered removing was her shoes, everything else still stayed as a cover. Jess was tired, hell she was downright beat, but she still couldn't bring herself to shut her eyes. There was so much she needed to know, so much that she wanted, how could she forget all of that and drift off into dream land? She curled her knees to her chest, pulling the comforter over her. It settled on her worn body like dirt over a corpse, bringing her warmth but no real comfort.

This was the first night that Jess had really spent alone in years, with no end in near sight. It was harder than she would have imagined. She was used to having a big mountain in bed next to her, falling asleep in a tangle of arms and legs and cotton sheets. Now he was gone. And she was on her own.

* * *

The rest of the night was broken up into bouts of dreamless sleep followed by stark awareness, the cycle only broken when the light of dawn began to shine through her shades. Jess was weary, and part of her wanted to do nothing more than stay in bed all day, but the prospect of coffee was too delicious to turn down. One long shower later she was sour the door, on her at to the nearest free shop. Coffee first, and then she would figure out what to do.

Keys jingling in her hand as she walked down the street, she kept an eye out for anywhere that was open. Most of her mind was already falling deep into thought. Maybe I could look him up in the town records, she mused. Or at least find the house. Maybe the knew owners could tell her something about the Winchester family, or even know where they had gone. All were shots in the dark, but beggars couldn't be choosers.

Jess hadn't been paying much attention to the people around her. In fact, she hadn't noticed anyone that had been walking near her, until the hairs on the back of her neck began to prickle, and that shivery feeling was beginning to run down the back of her spine. That 'someone is watching you' feeling. She turned around slowly, and low and behold her green eyes locked into a stare with someone maybe ten feet behind her. The man behind the eyes - a string bean type of guy - widened his gaze as she looked back at him, his expression seemingly flustered. She smirked, raising both eyebrows in his direction before turning away. That wasn't what she was here for.

Back to her own thoughts, Jess had almost forgotten about the not-quite-encounter until a voice from behind sounded in her ears.

"Jessica?"

She must have been more tired than she thought. She was almost convinced she heard her name. She brushed it off easily, until;

"Jessica Moore?"

There it was again. Turning around, Jess caught sight of the same man she had made eye contact with just moments earlier; and this time he was making a beeline right for her.

Jess froze, watching as he speed walked towards her looking as though he might trip on his gangly legs. Her eyes stuck on his face, she was now positive that she had never seen this guy before. So how the hell did he know her name? Should she run? Stay? Yell 'stay back' and throw her keys at him? She glanced around her, noting all the other people roaming the streets. If he was dangerous, he couldn't hurt her with all these witnesses around. Besides, he didn't look like he could weigh much more than Jess herself, and she knew how to pack a punch. So she stood still, a statue on the sidewalk until the lanky man reached her.

Jess didn't know what she had expected him to do, but she certainly hadn't imagined that he would greet her with a big grin- followed by a big hug. She stood stick straight, arms at her side as he wrapped his around her like a sloth to a tree. "What the hell are you doing?!" She tried to wiggle her way out from his surprisingly strong grip, attempting to free herself from the over eager man-puppy. Her words seemed to snap him back to reality, and he pulled away. His sheepish smile in her direction was met with a scowl, causing the man to tug nervously at his shirt collar.

"Oh, geez, I'm so, uh, sorry, I uh, I," Jess watched as he slicked back his unruly hair, his foot beginning to tap nervously. "I thought Chuck was bullshittin' me when he said you were back and kicking, I mean, you're not supposed to be here obviously, yet, here you are." He gestured towards Jess, shaking his head in what she could only assume was disbelief. Her own expression was more one of utter confusion. What was he talking about? Was he insane? "What do you mean I-" She began, but her interrogation was quickly cut short by the other's excited ramblings.  
"This is crazy isn't it? Man, everyone is going to go off their rockers! Especially Sam, god, is he going to be glad to see you."

That single word was enough to stop Jess in her tracks. Sam? This couldn't be a coincidence, could it? No, there was no way. She thought eagerly, suddenly much more intrigued by the unidentified man than put off. "Sam…Winchester? You know Sam?" She questioned, her eyebrows knitting together in anxious anticipation. She paused, waiting for an answer, and then thought better of it. There was so many more answers she needed. "Who are you? And how do you who I am? And what did you mean, I'm 'not supposed to be here'?"

The only response she got for a good 30 seconds was the blank look on the man's face. "Oh boy." He muttered. "So you don't remember anything? Nothing at all?" He blew out a heavy stream of air, mussing up his hair once again. Jess frowned, narrowing her eyes. "Remember? Remember what?" Maybe this string bean was the answer to her prayers. Not only did he seem to know Sam, it was looking like he knew what had happened to her. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I don't remember anything since 2005." She watched as he scratched at his head, muttering to himself. Finally, he lifted his head and met her gaze. He looked noticeably stressed, which in turn was making her nervous.

"I was hoping this was going to be easy breezy." Jess could see he was trying to explain, but it wasn't helping her any.  
"Yeah. Yes, I know Sam." He continued. "That's how I know who you are. And…" He paused, visibly frustrated. "Can we go talk about this somewhere else? Do you want to get coffee?"

She hadn't forgotten about her questions, how could she, but the reminder of where she was headed in the first place also reminded her how hungry she had been. She nodded in agreement, crossing her arms over her chest. She wanted answers first and foremost; but a bagel couldn't hurt. "You still haven't told me your name." She reminded him, keeping a close eye as he moved up next to her. The man didn't seem to be letting his previous frustration effect him much, as at her mention he offered up a grin much like the one he had been wearing earlier.  
"Garth." He reached out to grab her hand, shaking it firmly. "It's great to meet you Jess. And now if you'll be so kind as to follow me, we have a lot to discuss."


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry this one took me longer! Hope you guys like it : ) Thank you so much for reading xx**

* * *

The overwhelming aroma of coffee beans and baked goods filled Jess's nostril's as she followed Garth into the homey-style diner. The new surroundings were a bitter sweet reminder; fall mornings at Coho with Sam, doodling on the foggy window panes and scouring the ads section of the local newspaper in contest to find the most ridiculous one.

The crowd was small inside, made up of outcast hipster looking types. In that sense, Black Sheep Diner was aptly named. Garth was the first one to the counter and she was quick to follow, placing her hand palm down on the smooth wood surface as she stepped into place beside him.  
"And what can I get for ya'll today?" Chirped the all to happy sounding voice of the cashier. Much too cheery for 8:00 am, at least as far as Jess was concerned. she waited for Garth to order - black, with cream and three sugars - before she placed her own for a double red eye. If it wasn't so early (and more importantly if they weren't in public) she most likely would have gone ahead and tried to get herself a beer. This morning she would have rather had the numbing powers of the alcohol than the energy from the coffee.

This time Jess was the one leading the way as she walked a few feet to her left to take a seat on one of the cushioned stools, taking care to find an area where the two of them could be mostly out of ear shot of the rest of the patrons. She noticed Garth's hesitation before taking a seat, a minuscule action that caused the anxious ache to flare up in her gut once again. He was afraid to tell her something, and she was starting to become just as afraid to hear it.

She would have to be an idiot to think that the answer behind all of this wasn't big, there was something going on and that much she couldn't deny. She was missing everything that she thought she had had. Everything that was a major component of her life - her family, her friends, her possessions - and if she ever wanted things to be the same she was going to have to find out what had happened. It only made sense. The kicker was that the truth of where it all had gone might be the same thing that barred her form ever getting it back.

Jess opened her mouth, about to start with a new question, when Garth cut her off. She was beginning to think this was a classic habit of his, or at least a nervous one.  
"Nice town, right? Nice places for coffee, but this is one of the best, really it-"  
"Garth." Her firm voice accompanied by a saddened stare was enough to stop his rambling in it's tracks. A tired sigh was the next thing that came out of his mouth, followed by a single word.  
"Right."  
He looked up to meet her gaze, their eyes locking into a stare as silence fell between them. Garth was the first one to break it.  
"Look, Jessica- Jess. I think Sam should be the one to tell you. He deserves that, he would want to be the one to tell you." He rubbed the bridge of this nose between his thumb and pointer finger, a habit Jess remembered her dad having when he was stressed.  
"Tell me what?"

Their conversation was interrupted as the same counter girl from before walked up to them, two steaming mugs in hand.  
"Here ya are. Can I get ya'll anything else?"  
"No thank you. We're fine." Jess replied firmly before Garth could respond. As soon as the girl disappeared, she turned the conversation right back to Garth's previous statement, sinking her teeth into it and not letting go. "Tell me what, Garth?"  
He sighed, the look in his eyes showing his regret for not biting his tongue earlier. Obviously he didn't want to be the one to break the news - whatever it was. And hell, she would love to hear it from Sam, every last bit of it, but unfortunately he wasn't here. Garth was the only source of information she had. Her stony stare showing no signs of her backing down must have been working in her favor, because soon enough he gave a defeated nod.  
"I'll tell you what I know." Even though she had a feeling that he most likely wouldn't tell her everything he knew, she felt relieved to have gotten it this far. At least she would know something. She could get more from him later.

"I don't know what happened to you, Jess." It's not a total lie. I don't know the specifics. "But I can tell you about Sam. I'm going to go ahead and assume you know only the bare minimal when it comes to his past?"

If that wasn't the truth. Sam was shut like a trap when it came to that, even Jess couldn't manage more than a few general facts. She knew he had a father, John, and a brother, Dean. His mother had died when he was young, and as a kid his dad had moved them around a lot. That was it, not even enough to count on one hand! She never pried, though. She always figured he would tell her when he was ready. Now, she found herself wishing that she had dug a little deeper.

Garth waited for her to nod before he continued. "The Winchesters had, uh, well, an unconventional childhood. And they grew up into an odd line of work. How do I put this..." Jess watched as he stumbled for the right words, silently wondering as the blood rushed in her ears how unsavory what he was trying to describe to her must be if he couldn't even put it into words.  
"They were, are hunters." He blurted out suddenly, eliciting a pair of raised eyebrows from her. Hunters? She suddenly felt laughably more at ease. That was it? "Hunters for what?" She questioned, taking a sip from her mug. "Wild game?"

A cringe from Garth brought all the anxieties that had left only moments ago flooding right back.  
"Not exactly. They don't hunt your...typical target. They hunt, uh, well, they hunt the supernatural. I do too. Horrible things. Things you've only ever read about, or seen in movies. Vampires, werewolves, angels, demons; they're all real. Makes a lot of crappy horror movies seem a lot scarier when you think about it." He chuckled weakly, tussling his hair as he waited for her to respond.

Jess was almost too in shock to do so. She swallowed, almost choking on the air as it filled up her lungs. Her face was a poster of shock and disbelief. "Vampires, werewolves, angels, demons…" How could she believe that? How could that be true? It was crazy, no, it was insane to think about. She shook her head, one hand resting over her ear like a petulant child who believed they could change what was being said so long as they didn't hear it. "Garth..." Her words were hoarse, scratching against her throat. "That's impossible. That's not real, none of it is." Her chin quivered, shock and disbelief battling it out on her face for which emotion would take hold. "Sam is normal guy. He can't, he doesn't, it's just not possible!" She protested louder than she had meant to, drawing the annoyed stares of a few customers hard at work on their computers.

"I'm sorry, Jess." Anyone could see just by looking at his face that he truly was. "I wish I could tell you something else. But that's the truth, and you're right, you needed to know."

She felt like screaming and burying her face in her jacket and never coming out again. This couldn't be true! But then, why would Garth lie to her? He had known her name, known Sam, even to a skeptical Jess he seemed so genuine. She couldn't see a possible motive.

That's when she made her decision.

Perhaps if she had had another option, someone else to run to, she would have gotten up and left right then and there. But she didn't. Without Garth, she had nobody. She had nothing left to lose.

"What now?" Her sudden response surprised her just as much as him. He shot her a smile, and even if just for a millisecond, it comforted her.  
"What now?" He repeated, reaching out and putting a hand on her shoulder. It was defiance against her instincts to not flinch away, or possibly give him a slight jab with her elbow, but she resisted. He was trying to help her. He was trying to be her friend.  
"Now, we go find Sam. Okay?" Considering the circumstances, it was probably one of the best responses he could have given her. There was no one else in the world she wanted to see more. Sam felt like home even when there was no home to go to.  
"Okay." She nodded, attempting a tiny smile for his benefit. They could do it. They had to.


End file.
